Zuco 103

The Other Side EP

Six Degrees

Dzihan & Kamien

Freaks and Icons

Six Degrees

I think just about every month I review at least one release off of Six Degrees, and I start out with just about that same statement: I love Six Degrees Records. I can count on one hand the number of releases I don't presently own, and I don't need a single finger, toe, or appendage to count the bad ones. My hardest decision is deciding which one I want goes in the CD player. AND THEY KEEP RELEASING MORE! I think they are sadistically trying to drain my bank account and break me financially.

The Other Side EP is, as it's name implies, an EP. Three completely different mixes of "Outro Lado," two different mixes of "Brazilectro," and a remix of "Humana." Normally, you can get kind of bored from a collection of remixes, but this is not the case with The Other Side EP. You're going to be doing the "booty-shaker dance" at some point during this EP. I am guilty of it, so don't worry, it's OK.

Dzihan & Kamien is an entirely different, but equally unique release. It is the definition of future jazz with world influence. It's got almost everything I could ever want from jazz, the beats of tomorrow, and the influence of world music. "Dabudie" has some excellent beats that roll in and out with the accuracy of a Latin percussion ensemble, while organs and guitars slip and slide in and out of the mix like Moroccan bellydancers. "Just You and I" continues the trend with a definite Arabic influence, while maintaining such a beautiful beat that I get lost within a world of dreams. "Spacewater" ends the album in such a wonderful manner that I feel relaxed, calm, peaceful, and ready to tackle any problem. That is what music is supposed to do. It should empower the listener to be more at ease with the world around them. Freaks and Icons goes beyond empowerment. They are setting standards for the "future of jazz" that have only been explored by a handful of artists to date. The more I listen, the more I discover within the music. I don't know how I've managed to go through life without this release. It is too good for words to describe.